The sheriff's office said the Warren County Drug Task Force is culminating a one-year undercover investigation that began with the trafficking of high grade marijuana by a 17-year-old Mason High School student.

The student headed up a criminal enterprise that potentially grossed over $20,000 per month, and was found with over $6,000 in cash in his bedroom at the time of the service of the search warrant, deputies said.

No illegal activity occurred on school property, according to investigators.

“The juvenile dealer was adamant about not dealing on school property. There were strict orders not to sell at MHS because you would get caught and the punishment would be severe,” Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell said in a news release.

Continuing the investigation, officers served search warrants in Blue Ash, Norwood, and Hamilton, resulting in the seizure of more than 600 hydroponic marijuana plants, each valued at $5,000, deputies said.

"This marijuana was selling for $350-$400 per ounce, as compared to what you typically see, which is $100 an ounce," Fornshell said.

In addition thousands of dollars of grow equipment were also seized, deputies said.

"Clearly he's an intelligent individual," Fornshell said. "He was somebody operating a major drug organization as a 15-, 16-year-old student. He clearly has some intelligence but certainly misguided."

Seven adults were charged in the case, including Justin Baker and Allen Honeycutt, who investigators said were the two main marijuana growers.

"He was selling to six other people who were kind of like his lieutenants," Drug Task Force Commander John Burke said. "Then they were distributing the drugs to other high school students."

Authorities said five other students could be charged in the investigation.

A Justice Department civil rights investigation has concluded that the Ferguson Police Department and the city's municipal court engaged in a "pattern and practice" of discrimination against African Americans, according to a U.S. law enforcement official briefed on the investigation.